Amazon Prime Video has announced a price increase for its ad-free streaming tier in the United States. The service, now called "Prime Video Ultra," will cost $4.99 per month in addition to a regular Amazon Prime subscription.

This change affects anime fans who rely on Prime Video for series like Vinland Saga, Made in Abyss, and various exclusive anime titles. Previously, Prime members could watch content without ads as part of their standard subscription, but Amazon introduced ads to Prime Video earlier this year.

The price adjustment means viewers who want to watch anime without commercial interruptions will need to pay extra beyond their Prime membership fee. This follows a trend among streaming platforms to offer tiered pricing models, with ad-supported versions as the default option.

Prime Video has been expanding its anime catalog in recent years, securing exclusive rights to popular series and investing in original anime productions. The platform competes with other major anime streaming services like Crunchyroll and Funimation for viewers' attention.

For anime fans on a budget, this change might influence their streaming choices, especially those who primarily use Prime Video for anime content. The ad-supported version remains available at no additional cost for Prime members, though commercial breaks will interrupt viewing sessions.